Sanofi, DOH allay dengue vaccine fears

04 Diciembre 2017

France-based manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur said that an analysis of the drug based on six years of clinal data showed that in the longer term, more cases of severe dengue could occur in those who have been vaccinated with the drug among people who have not previously been infected with dengue.

The developer of the world's first vaccine for the potentially deadly virus, French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, revealed earlier this week that it could trigger more severe symptoms in people who had not been previously infected with dengue.

Most of the study participants who fell ill after receiving the vaccine had cases in the milder two of four levels of severity: Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever 1, where a tourniquet test is positive and a patient easily bruises and DHF 2, where the patient's nose and gums could bleed.

"The Department of Health program is a public health program, not a clinical trial, so Filipinos were not used as guinea pigs", Sanofi Philippines senior director Joselito Sta.

The Philippines is prepared for a "worst-case scenario" following warnings that an anti-dengue vaccine administered to thousands of children may worsen the disease in some cases, a health official said Saturday.

In 2016, the Philippines became the first country to implement the use of Dengvaxia through a school-based dengue immunization program, which initially covered Grade 4 students in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon).

The Department of Justice has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the purchase of P3.5 billion worth of vaccines.

CVS Health Corp's proposed purchase of Aetna Inc will change the way many major U.S. corporations buy health coverage for employees and raise new questions over the cost of those benefits, benefit consultants said.

"Sanofi urged to shoulder health needs of affected children, provide full compensation", Hontiveros said in a press statement.

Duque said the government will profile all those who received the vaccination and heighten its surveillance mechanisms.

He added that the health department was checking hospital records for acute cases of dengue.

Sanofi on Monday said there have been no reported deaths in the Philippines related to its vaccine.

For those not previously infected by the dengue virus, analysis found vaccination prevented severe illness for at least 30 months, Mr Duque said.

Sanofi medical director Ruby Dizon said there have been no reported deaths related to the dengue vaccination, contrary to reports claimed by Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption that three have already died.